Electronic Cigarettes and Vape Devices | 2021
The E-Cigarette Phenomenon: What it is, Why it is Happening, and What You Should Know About it
Abstract
In 2018, the FDA Commissioner described the “disturbing and accelerating trajectory” of youth e-cigarette use as an “almost ubiquitous” trend among youth, and the FDA Commissioner and the U.S. Surgeon General called youth e-cigarette use an “epidemic.” While there is some hope that e-cigarette use is declining modestly, more than one fifth of high school students and about one in ten middle school students are using e-cigarettes every day. This increase in use frequency may be associated with greater nicotine dependence among young users, highlighting the threat of hooking a new generation on nicotine and other tobacco products, including combustible cigarettes. E-cigarettes are associated with a number of significant health consequences, including cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, nicotine harms and addiction, toxic effects of flavors, and psychological, social, and educational effects. Adolescents and young adults are especially attracted to using e-cigarettes because of their youth-friendly flavors; the new salt-based nicotine formulation which makes the products easier to use, less harsh, and allows users to more easily take in higher levels of nicotine more quickly which effectively makes them more addictive; the appealing designs and concealability of the e-cigarette devices; the aggressive marketing that targets youth; misperceptions about the products’ harmfulness; and their ability to easily access and afford e-cigarettes. Previous successful efforts to reduce adolescent, young adult, and adult tobacco use are being eroded through the adolescent e-cigarette epidemic. Clearly there is a great deal of work to do to once again bring tobacco use levels to single digits. Proven tobacco control measures should be adopted to reduce and prevent e-cigarette use, including effective education campaigns; rigorous regulations at the federal, state, and local levels; and measures taken to ensure that these programs and laws will not become obsolete with the introduction of new and enticing tobacco products in the future.